1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to air bag inflators and more particularly to a new and improved housing for an air bag inflator having only a single ignition wall therein and eliminating the need or requirement for a combustion wall commonly used to separate gas generating material from a filter in the inflator.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Typical prior art air bag inflators used on the driver's side or steering wheels of motor vehicles have a housing or canister with three distinct chambers inside an outer side wall thereof. In general, there is a housing wall between the ignition system and the gas generating material and another wall between the gas generating material and a filter. The gas produced in the inflator must flow through ports in both walls before passing out through diffusion ports in the outermost wall of the housing into an air bag. As the gas passes through the relatively small ports in the inside wall, the gas flow is turned a number of times to help slow down the gas flow and improve the filtering action.